MS 200 fun road and track car - and other car stuff!
- Thread starter Matt Scarbro
- Start date
Success with the MOT, no problems! :excited:
Alignment went well too, finished up as follows, should hopefully be more exciteable now!
Front
-2.2* camber per side
0*11’ total toe out
Rear
-1.2* camber per side
0*11’ total toe out
Will only truly be able feedback on the alignment once I driven in the track again but I will do!
Alignment went well too, finished up as follows, should hopefully be more exciteable now!
Front
-2.2* camber per side
0*11’ total toe out
Rear
-1.2* camber per side
0*11’ total toe out
Will only truly be able feedback on the alignment once I driven in the track again but I will do!
tombate911
Paid Member
I went for 0*20’ shims, figured it would be close to parallel so a little toe out is a great outcome!
Will be really interesting to see how the relatively stiffer rear roll stiffness, more neutral alignment and semi slicks at the front all combine on track!
My mate and I joke about adding arbitrary units of oversteer and understeer to cars, I figure I’ve added 3 oversteers from the above and just the 1 understeer from the stub axle spacers so it should be more lively!
It’s been quiet on the car front but we’ve made the house move we were trying for happen.
We fell in love with a house in Lincolnshire and though we hadn’t planned to move until Spring/Summer next year, managed to find a way to make it work.
So the latest update comes from our dream home in the countryside!!!
On the car front I’m erring towards changing the H&R springs for something softer, it’s a tough one as at speed it feels great. I do think it would be a better car more of the time with softer springs though. Watch this space I guess...
Rather controversially I’m also thinking of changing the seats!!
I LOVE the way they look and they’re very comfortable, but from a functional perspective I can’t help but think the drive would be better with more support and a lower seating position. It will never look as good but I’m exploring options nonetheless!
Finally, having loved to Lincs I’m now close to Cadwell, there’s a trackday on Saturday, you can see where this is going!!...
We fell in love with a house in Lincolnshire and though we hadn’t planned to move until Spring/Summer next year, managed to find a way to make it work.
So the latest update comes from our dream home in the countryside!!!
On the car front I’m erring towards changing the H&R springs for something softer, it’s a tough one as at speed it feels great. I do think it would be a better car more of the time with softer springs though. Watch this space I guess...
Rather controversially I’m also thinking of changing the seats!!
I LOVE the way they look and they’re very comfortable, but from a functional perspective I can’t help but think the drive would be better with more support and a lower seating position. It will never look as good but I’m exploring options nonetheless!
Finally, having loved to Lincs I’m now close to Cadwell, there’s a trackday on Saturday, you can see where this is going!!...
Pav
Moderator
grats to your new house..looks like a very quiet area too..maybe a few twisty country roads too ??
Congrats on the move Matt, I was celebrating yesterday when Stamp Duty was scrapped, might make it a little easier in the next few years for me!
I love my Eibach Pro springs, not crashy at all but really hold well through the bends!
I love my Eibach Pro springs, not crashy at all but really hold well through the bends!
Close to Cadwell! Good move, I like Cadwell. House looks nice. Congratulations.It’s been quiet on the car front but we’ve made the house move we were trying for happen.
We fell in love with a house in Lincolnshire and though we hadn’t planned to move until Spring/Summer next year, managed to find a way to make it work.
So the latest update comes from our dream home in the countryside!!!
View attachment 117978
On the car front I’m erring towards changing the H&R springs for something softer, it’s a tough one as at speed it feels great. I do think it would be a better car more of the time with softer springs though. Watch this space I guess...
Rather controversially I’m also thinking of changing the seats!!
I LOVE the way they look and they’re very comfortable, but from a functional perspective I can’t help but think the drive would be better with more support and a lower seating position. It will never look as good but I’m exploring options nonetheless!
Finally, having loved to Lincs I’m now close to Cadwell, there’s a trackday on Saturday, you can see where this is going!!...
Yeah great news for those trying to get on the ladder yesterday! I can’t help but think those scraping to buy an 80k house could do with more help than those fortunate enough to spend 300k on their first house though!!
Great to hear about the Eibachs, is that on Cup shocks or the ‘standard’ ones?
Yeah great news for those trying to get on the ladder yesterday! I can’t help but think those scraping to buy an 80k house could do with more help than those fortunate enough to spend 300k on their first house though!!
Great to hear about the Eibachs, is that on Cup shocks or the ‘standard’ ones?
Just standard shocks! I do agree, if you can afford to spend £300k you probably don't need much, if any assistance...
Couldn’t resist, I’ve booked Cadwell on Saturday! Not done it in the Clio before so should be fun!!!
Forecast looks rather cold but dry, I’m hoping for one of those perfect, crisp, bright winter’s days!!
One thing I forgot, I ordered one of these doohickeys...
Whether or not I change the seats, this should bring the wheel nice and close and boy is it a nicely made part! Kudos indeed to Giacomo!
Forecast looks rather cold but dry, I’m hoping for one of those perfect, crisp, bright winter’s days!!
One thing I forgot, I ordered one of these doohickeys...
Whether or not I change the seats, this should bring the wheel nice and close and boy is it a nicely made part! Kudos indeed to Giacomo!
you won't regret the spacer. love it on my car.
i expect a full report on how the koni suspension behaves on track.
a member on here sells a frame which lowers the recaro seats a couple of inches. maybe worth a go ... @Flacsi
Will be sure to report back on the Konis on track, there will be the usual video too!
I’ve already got one of those frames, was disappointed by how little it dropped it. I’m not particularly tall, maybe just over 6’, but I’ve got a long torso so I still sit much too high sadly.
Pav
Moderator
Beany
Platinum Member
Cadwell Park // 25.11.2017
Having moved back to Lincolnshire last week there was no better way to celebrate than a trackday at my favourite track!
Before the move this would have meant a 3 hour trip the evening before and the same afterwards, so it was amazing to be half an hour away!
For the first time I woke up well before my fairly early alarm and was too excited to get back to sleep!
My mate Will had come across from Cheshire the evening before in his newly turboed MX5, so we headed over to Cadwell together, with brother Dan meeting us at the Shell garage en route.
As expected we arrived to a frozen circuit, but happily there was no fog which can sometimes halt things for some time. For once I had prepared well, setting tyre pressures and checking fluids when I swapped the pads, so having signed on and endured a relatively painless briefing, all we had to do was sound testing (81db) and empty the boot, before we all jumped back in the Clio to keep warm!
A small moan now, so many times we arrive relatively early at frozen tracks in the winter for signing on at 7:30-8:30 and a briefing that follows, only to sit around twiddling our thumbs afterwards whilst they prepare the circuit... If the weather forecast shows frosty temps the day before, why not send a mail and text out to all the attendees moving back signing on and briefing so that everyone gets a little more sleep! Or can just enjoy a leisurely breakfast at home beforehand!
Anyhow, we got going at about 10:15 and the track was cold everywhere, wet through in places, damp in others, icey off line and bone dry in patches, good old Cadwell!
Having not driven the Clio, or anything FWD there before, and having added three arbitrary units of oversteer since the last track outing at Blyton, together with the conditions, I took things very steady indeed!!!
For the first session I left the stability control on and the rather harsh interventions were a great indicator of where things might otherwise be getting unruly.
Second session and after a lap or two I switched it off before taking things even easier. I really was aware that although I know in theory how to correct oversteer in an FF car, in practice I would have to fight my instinctive RWD inputs.
When I did breach the limits of grip it was well communicated and happened nice and slowly giving me the chance I need to consider how to respond. With the challenging conditions and different layout it really was an exciting and engaging couple of sessions!
I’m sure with the car as it had been at Blyton (Cup suspension, conservative alignment and AD08Rs all round), the car would have been much easier to drive, but in its current spec it required full concentration and considered inputs.
As a reminder it now has Koni shocks and H&R springs with higher relative roll stiffness at the rear than Cup, toe out at the front and rear, and MRF semi slicks at the front with the AD08Rs at the back.
We only got three sessions in the morning but the rear just never felt settled. The cause of this was clear, not managing to get any temperature into the rear tyres, a chap in an R26 with lovely warm rear Direzzas had the answer, “Just drive faster”!!
I could have tried to adjust things to help, but I’m really keen to learn to drive the car well and extract what I can from it. I look forward to being able to use the mobile rear to get the car into the corner and it’s really enjoyable finding something new to learn.
I tried adjusting the front shocks with some long nose pliers the day before as the Koni adjusters don’t fit within the Compbrake mounts, but the adjusters wouldn’t turn easily and I didn’t want to damage them with the pliers so left them set at full soft all round for the duration.
The H&R springs are softer at the front and firmer at the rear than Cup springs and with the Konis set on full soft the car feels a little more sensitive to weight transfer than it had done with the Cup suspension. This could however be a combination of circuit elevation changes, more aggressive alignment and low grip levels giving this impression.
There weren’t any of the superb sausage pies at lunch so I settled for just a portion of chips and an energy drink to pep me up (£4.50!!!!!!!). I fuelled up (£35 since the fuel stop en route), checked fluids and cleaned the windows before the track opened for the afternoon.
The track dried throughout the afternoon and warmed up (a tiny bit) so grip levels increased as the day went on.
By mid-afternoon I was feeling much more confident, heat in the AD08Rs at the rear made everything right and the car felt really good!
It feels hyper-sensitive to all inputs and very alert, really living up to its nickname of The Terrier!
With the shocks on soft it felt a bit rolly and divey, but that’s to be expected and in comparison to the much more track-focussed cars to which we’re accustomed.
It did however feel like a cracking chassis, gripped well for the conditions and for a full-fat road car performed excellently. I’m sure once I’m dialled into it, have the shocks wound up a bit and the tyres working properly it will be a real weapon... I can’t wait!!
In the second to last session I had good runs with a similarly-paced Mini and then the aforementioned R26 Megane:
(A bit of tongue in cheek at the start)
In the last session the conditions were at their best and I started to get a glimpse of what the car could do as I got more into the groove.
In the passenger seat Will was impressed, particularly so by the brakes so we’re both keen to find a way to get the Brembos under 15” wheels on our MX5s!
I had a terrific run with an E36 and thought I had the session on camera but it seems not unfortunately. I drove right up to the chequered flag, the little car performing faultlessly all day!
So thoroughly successful, great fun learning something new, and I’m really excited to learn more!
I’m keen to do another Blyton day next, in December all being well, and I’m hoping for a slippery day so I can really play around with inputs and develop my FWD car control before heading back to Cadders.
I’ve got three more trackdays as part of my insurance until the end of April so I’m looking forward to using them all!
If you’ve read all of this you’re a friend! If you’ve looked at the pics I’m sorry there aren’t more, I probably end up buying the trackday pics as I’m a sucker for them!
Thanks for reading!
Having moved back to Lincolnshire last week there was no better way to celebrate than a trackday at my favourite track!
Before the move this would have meant a 3 hour trip the evening before and the same afterwards, so it was amazing to be half an hour away!
For the first time I woke up well before my fairly early alarm and was too excited to get back to sleep!
My mate Will had come across from Cheshire the evening before in his newly turboed MX5, so we headed over to Cadwell together, with brother Dan meeting us at the Shell garage en route.
As expected we arrived to a frozen circuit, but happily there was no fog which can sometimes halt things for some time. For once I had prepared well, setting tyre pressures and checking fluids when I swapped the pads, so having signed on and endured a relatively painless briefing, all we had to do was sound testing (81db) and empty the boot, before we all jumped back in the Clio to keep warm!
A small moan now, so many times we arrive relatively early at frozen tracks in the winter for signing on at 7:30-8:30 and a briefing that follows, only to sit around twiddling our thumbs afterwards whilst they prepare the circuit... If the weather forecast shows frosty temps the day before, why not send a mail and text out to all the attendees moving back signing on and briefing so that everyone gets a little more sleep! Or can just enjoy a leisurely breakfast at home beforehand!
Anyhow, we got going at about 10:15 and the track was cold everywhere, wet through in places, damp in others, icey off line and bone dry in patches, good old Cadwell!
Having not driven the Clio, or anything FWD there before, and having added three arbitrary units of oversteer since the last track outing at Blyton, together with the conditions, I took things very steady indeed!!!
For the first session I left the stability control on and the rather harsh interventions were a great indicator of where things might otherwise be getting unruly.
Second session and after a lap or two I switched it off before taking things even easier. I really was aware that although I know in theory how to correct oversteer in an FF car, in practice I would have to fight my instinctive RWD inputs.
When I did breach the limits of grip it was well communicated and happened nice and slowly giving me the chance I need to consider how to respond. With the challenging conditions and different layout it really was an exciting and engaging couple of sessions!
I’m sure with the car as it had been at Blyton (Cup suspension, conservative alignment and AD08Rs all round), the car would have been much easier to drive, but in its current spec it required full concentration and considered inputs.
As a reminder it now has Koni shocks and H&R springs with higher relative roll stiffness at the rear than Cup, toe out at the front and rear, and MRF semi slicks at the front with the AD08Rs at the back.
We only got three sessions in the morning but the rear just never felt settled. The cause of this was clear, not managing to get any temperature into the rear tyres, a chap in an R26 with lovely warm rear Direzzas had the answer, “Just drive faster”!!
I could have tried to adjust things to help, but I’m really keen to learn to drive the car well and extract what I can from it. I look forward to being able to use the mobile rear to get the car into the corner and it’s really enjoyable finding something new to learn.
I tried adjusting the front shocks with some long nose pliers the day before as the Koni adjusters don’t fit within the Compbrake mounts, but the adjusters wouldn’t turn easily and I didn’t want to damage them with the pliers so left them set at full soft all round for the duration.
The H&R springs are softer at the front and firmer at the rear than Cup springs and with the Konis set on full soft the car feels a little more sensitive to weight transfer than it had done with the Cup suspension. This could however be a combination of circuit elevation changes, more aggressive alignment and low grip levels giving this impression.
There weren’t any of the superb sausage pies at lunch so I settled for just a portion of chips and an energy drink to pep me up (£4.50!!!!!!!). I fuelled up (£35 since the fuel stop en route), checked fluids and cleaned the windows before the track opened for the afternoon.
The track dried throughout the afternoon and warmed up (a tiny bit) so grip levels increased as the day went on.
By mid-afternoon I was feeling much more confident, heat in the AD08Rs at the rear made everything right and the car felt really good!
It feels hyper-sensitive to all inputs and very alert, really living up to its nickname of The Terrier!
With the shocks on soft it felt a bit rolly and divey, but that’s to be expected and in comparison to the much more track-focussed cars to which we’re accustomed.
It did however feel like a cracking chassis, gripped well for the conditions and for a full-fat road car performed excellently. I’m sure once I’m dialled into it, have the shocks wound up a bit and the tyres working properly it will be a real weapon... I can’t wait!!
In the second to last session I had good runs with a similarly-paced Mini and then the aforementioned R26 Megane:
(A bit of tongue in cheek at the start)
In the last session the conditions were at their best and I started to get a glimpse of what the car could do as I got more into the groove.
In the passenger seat Will was impressed, particularly so by the brakes so we’re both keen to find a way to get the Brembos under 15” wheels on our MX5s!
I had a terrific run with an E36 and thought I had the session on camera but it seems not unfortunately. I drove right up to the chequered flag, the little car performing faultlessly all day!
So thoroughly successful, great fun learning something new, and I’m really excited to learn more!
I’m keen to do another Blyton day next, in December all being well, and I’m hoping for a slippery day so I can really play around with inputs and develop my FWD car control before heading back to Cadders.
I’ve got three more trackdays as part of my insurance until the end of April so I’m looking forward to using them all!
If you’ve read all of this you’re a friend! If you’ve looked at the pics I’m sorry there aren’t more, I probably end up buying the trackday pics as I’m a sucker for them!
Thanks for reading!
Last edited:
Great write up Matt. Love the level of detail regarding different setups on suspension.
Once you’ve aced the handling of the car(won’t be long I’m guessing!) be interesting to see if you’re left wanting more power...?
Once you’ve aced the handling of the car(won’t be long I’m guessing!) be interesting to see if you’re left wanting more power...?
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